News
Very Welcome Visitors...
Monday 21st June 2010
We have been delighted to welcome six visiting teachers from South Africa, they are an enthusiastic and responsive group and have really enjoyed life inside and outside St James. Unfortunately they think it is winter and are still adjusting to the vagaries of English weather.
Their assembly last Monday was a beautiful manifestation of the spirit of Africa with song, drums and information. The school received a lesson on the symbolism of the South Africa flag and the many and varied languages of the ‘rainbow nation’.
The St James teachers and children provide rich inspiration. Midsummer is a good time to visit the school as there is a wide range of interesting events to enjoy. Our visitors met Father Rob the School Chaplin and enjoyed a breadth of topics in assemblies including plays, such as, ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ and ‘The Pied Piper of Hamlin’.
This week they will experience the Sanskrit Speech Competition and Agincourt an abridge version of Shakespeare’s Henry V performed by the boys of Years 5 & 6. And every day there is music in the school; the children sing and play instruments.
The only disappointment has been the soccer, the teachers of St James provided a World cup party for them but victories have still proved elusive.
Best wishes
Paul Moss - Principal
Tales from the Bush....
Thursday 17th June 2010
In contrast to previous nights the boys were "conked out", so awoke refreshed for their breakfast and day's first challenge which was to build shelters from basic materials. They were split into teams of three and constructed an angled wooden frame, then covered it with sticks, leaves and wattle (I had to look it up. It means "a sort of woven work made of sticks intertwined with twigs or branches, used for walls, fences, and roofs"). Of course they left a door opening. Finally a helper acted as an estate agent, to be persuaded that each property should go on the housing market.
The boys built and lit fires for lunch, and spent the afternoon deer stalking with the great success of getting close to the animals. It was especially surprising since the key was to approach in total and complete silence. They also had instruction in the local flora and fauna, covering the healing powers of hazelnut and ash.
Supper was notable for its harmony and quality of conversation. Deer stalking games were then undertaken before the nightcap of marshmallows and hot chocolate. Tomorrow’s plans include each boy building his own shelter to sleep in (luckily I have seen the weather forecast is fine), and maybe a mountain biking expedition.
Mrs Glover says they are living well together and resolving all ups and downs, and rarely asking for parents! They are adept and ever willing at local tasks such as gathering wood and washing up, so expect some very helpful boys to return home this weekend.
Durham weaves it's magic....
Thursday 17th June 2010
We've spent a lovely morning and part of the afternoon in and around Durham cathedral today. It felt as though the boys really found the place very moving.
We had a lovely guided tour and a short film in the morning and visited the monks dormitory and the treasures of Cuthbert exhibition in the afternoon. The boys found the exhibition particularly interesting. In the afternoon we went to 'wet n wild' where we all had a great time riding the water pipes. This evening the boys had a football rematch with the girls, and sadly, even with Mr Travis and myself playing for the girls, the girls lost again! Tomorrow we have an early start to get to Hadrian's Wall, the Roman Army museum and Vindolanda. The weather has been fantastically kind to us and is set to stay fair for tomorrow.
The boys are very well and send you all their love.
Tony Knox
News from Intrepid Y6 and an even more Intrepid Mrs Glover!
Wednesday 16th June 2010
All well at Charlbury. Mrs G is sounding very cheerful in spite of a wakeful night with some excited boys not settling until about 3am last night, and the earliest rising at 4.45am! But one of their supervisors, Eddie, sent them firmly back to bed and they eventually rose at a more civilised hour to a cooked breakfast, which was followed by a first aid session. The morning's activity was a simulated walk with an air crash (also simulated!) which necessitated rescuing a girl, finding a bag for the stretcher and then carting her back to a Land Rover. They then had to walk all the way back for lunch.
In the afternoon the boys went abseiling across a lake, and then up the hill to an outdoor pizza oven. They cooked salmon for supper, and enjoyed another game of 40 - 40. The boys continue to get on well together and are really looking after each other. There has been no homesickness at all so far.
Hopefully the boys will be exhausted tonight (as, I'm sure, is Mrs Glover!) and they will all have the opportunity for a longer sleep!zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
All Rise....
Wednesday 16th June 2010
In between Henry V rehearsals and cricket practice, we have just had a fascinating talk and role play on English Law given by a professional barrister and 'old boy' of St James.
The ‘barristers’ had to choose which side to represent (The Football Association or Robert Green) and then argue their case before the Judge.
As you can imagine we had great fun.